title: Post-adoption depression among adoptive mothers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the rate of depressive symptomatology and possible underlying factors in adoptive mothers during the transition to motherhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  General Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine adoptive mothers of reproductive age registered with international adoption agencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) before and 6 weeks after the adoption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Responses were compared between the study group and published findings for biological mothers in the general population, and within the study group, before and after adoption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symptoms of depression were found in 15.4% of the study group. This rate was similar to that for postpartum depression in the general population, and lower than the rate recorded in the study group before adoption (25.6%). All women with symptoms of depression after the adoption had also shown evidence of depressive features before the adoption. Similar findings were noted for other psychopathologies as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adopting a child does not cause new-onset, reactive depression among adoptive mothers. It may even lead to a decrease in depressive features, perhaps in response to relief from other adjustment difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Child Development and Rehabilitation Institute, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqwa, Israel. Senekimi@zahav.net.il
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Senecky
authors.forename: Hanoch
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Agassi
authors.forename: Dov
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inbar
authors.forename: Netta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horesh
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.forename: Yoav S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apter
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors